The Story of Higurashi Seirin
by Chiaztolite
Summary: Sesshoumaru offended a goddess and was turned into a woman. Stripped off of his gender and demon powers, how would the proud yokai lord deal with his new body? Will he learn the lessons the goddess tried to teach him?
1. Never Anger a Goddess

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary:**Sesshoumaru had offended a goddess and was turned into a woman. Stripped off of his gender and demon power, how would the proud yokai lord deal with this? Kagome and Inuyasha took him to the other side of the well for his own safety. Would he learn the lesson the goddess so desperately trying to teach him?

**A/N: **I might have to call the "world" in this story an alternate universe since it is slightly different from the world Rumiko Takahashi had created for Inuyasha. Most of the things are still the same. The well still connects the feudal era of Japan with modern-day Tokyo. Inuyasha is still accompanied by Kagome and the others. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru still hate each other. Sesshoumaru still travels with Jaken, Rin, and Ah Un...

Here are the things that are different:

Naraku is not written in this story. Please think of it as the gang taking a break from chasing him throughout the duration of the story (just like in those filler episodes in the anime)

Sesshoumaru never lost his left arm.

I decided to write this story because I want to write something that makes me smile. Though I love my other fanfic: "Rulers of Four Directions", sometimes I feel I need a break from such a serious story. Hope this story will make you smile too, if not laugh.

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**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch01: Never Anger a Goddess**

A blur of red and white was seen leaping from one tree to another, moving at a great speed as if it was chasing something. Or at least in a hurry to get somewhere.

Sesshoumaru could smell his prey from miles away. His fine sense of smell could not be mistaken; it was indeed the scent of that blasted cat yokai who had been disturbing the peace of his lands. Why the cat was so adamant in its attempt to anger him, he could not comprehend. But he was beyond accustomed to having to deal with pesky little demons who tried to disrupt his lands in the hopes of becoming the Lord of the Western Lands themselves.

'_Wishful thinking...'_ He scorned at those lesser beings, the corners of his lips curled to form a scathing smirk.

The trees around him turned into blur as he increased his speed, confident of his own ability to chase the culprit down and end its futile effort. The thought of digging his talons into its heart pleased him so.

He arrived at the edge of the forest, where it turned into an open area with a hot spring as its only occupant. The chill of late autumn night aided the steam to rise higher from the surface of the spring. Thick veil of mist impaired his vision, but only momentarily. Once his yokai eyes adapted to the obstacle, he inhaled deeply, trying to locate the scent he had so diligently followed.

Strangely, the scent had disappeared. He tried to sniff the air in every other direction... Alas, his effort proved futile. He clenched his jaw and balled his fingers into a tight fist. A pair of golden eyes narrowed in fury. How could he have lost his prey?

Soft humming of a female distracted him from his thought. His curiosity was aroused, thus he decided to search the source of the nameless tune.

He easily found her, sitting on a large rock in the middle of the spring, pouring steaming water on her naked skin. Frowning, he observed the female who was obviously unaware of his presence. Whoever she was, she clearly was not his target. Scoffing inwardly, he turned around to leave the bathing female undisturbed.

The sound of soft gasp caught his attention, causing him to swivel on his heel to face the female. She stood with her lower body immersed in the water; her slender arms were concealing her naked torso. Her long, raven haired hung loosely around her frame in damp, curled tendrils. For a moment they stood facing each other in silence. Then, she narrowed her dark eyes, regarding him suspiciously.

"...You were peeking, weren't you?" She asked him.

Her blatant accusation astounded him, yet the yokai lord kept his impassive face intact. He remained silent, contemplating whether or not he should grant this wench a response. Before he had the opportunity to decide, her soft chuckle reached his ears. Much to his surprise, he witnessed her lowering those arms that had been so modestly wrapped around herself. Casually, she plopped herself back on the rock. She crossed one knee on top of the other, straightening her spine to boast a pair of perfectly shaped breasts.

The yokai lord was, needless to say, at loss for words.

"Go ahead..." The female softly encouraged him. "You can stare."

Sesshoumaru threw her one last look of disgust before he turned around.

"Shameless wench." He hissed. "I have no desire to lay my eyes on you."

He was prepared to take his leave, and yet once again was stopped by the sounds of splashing water. Even without turning around, he could tell the female was approaching him. He could smell her; she was close, very close, if not right behind him already. He could feel her damp fingers tugging the sleeves of his kimono, softly clucking her tongue in mock despair.

_How dare she..._

"... Do you not find me beautiful?" Again, that silky voice.

Why this female was so adamant to obtain his appreciation for her beauty, he could neither comprehend nor care. He simply knew he did not want to waste any more time to play this game. He shoved her hand away from his garb.

"You are merely an eyesore." He stated, and he truly meant every word of it.

What happened next was not at all in his calculation. He could feel a hand gripping his neck, stronger than any force he had ever encountered. The strength pushed him across the hot spring, all the way until his back was forcefully pressed against a tree. His eyes widened in disbelief when he came to realize that it was her, the bathing female, who had him in her tight grip.

"I know you." She hissed, her onyx-like eyes bore into his. An eerie grin appeared on her face as she inched her head closer to his. "I have heard of you."

_Who was she?_

"You are only a mortal and yet you have the guts to offend me..."

A deep frown appeared on the yokai lord's forehead when he heard her scathing words._ 'Only a mortal'_? Who did she think she...

"Sesshoumaru..." She mouthed his name. "Son of Inu no Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands... You will forever regret the day you offend Benten, the Goddess of Beauty..."

His stunned eyes grew even wider when she proclaimed her true identity: Benzaiten, also known as "Benten", the Goddess of love and beauty. Desperate for air, he laid a grip on her wrist that was clutching his neck, but the goddess was stronger than he had ever imagined. When his efforts produced no result, he searched for the hilt of his sword, Tokijin, determined to sever the goddess' hand altogether.

As if she could read his mind, the goddess chuckled. Again, she softly clucked her tongue, making that pitying noised he despised so. He could feel her grip tightening on his neck, denying him air. His struggling hands faltered as his sights grew dim. He was losing consciousness, but not before he heard the goddess uttered her last words,

"You will pay for your arrogance, yokai..."

How long he had been unconscious for, he could not tell. When he regained his consciousness, his body was floating in the hot spring, and he was drenched from head to toe. He could feel the pain on his throat, but the memory of what occurred prior to his collapse distracted him from the uncomfortable throbbing.

He hauled himself out of the water, cursing inwardly. He scanned his surrounding, wishing to find the cursed female, goddess or not goddess, who had degraded him. But she was nowhere to be found and her scent had vanished completely.

Still cursing her silently, he moved across the hot spring, dragging his wet and heavy garment with him. His pair of golden eyes was set ablaze with his wrath. In the 500 years of his life, never had anyone humiliated him so. _Never_. Whether it was by humans, demons, or gods, it did not matter.

His soak garment felt heavy on him as he stepped out of the hot spring. As he squeezed some of the excess water off his sleeves, he was greeted by the voice of a male.

"Well, well... Look what we have here..."

He looked up to find three young male demons emerging from the forest. Judging from the colour of their hair and markings, they were unmistakably from the tiger clan. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he watched them approaching the edge of the hot spring where he stood.

"You're here by yourself..." One of them asked, a sly grin on his face. "Care to play with us?"

The yokai lord was seething with anger as he was. And now these three _idiots, _who undoubtedly had a death wish, appeared to test his patience further.

"Do you wish to die, you..."

The voice that came out of his mouth startled him to the core, as it sounded nothing like his own. His deep baritone voice had been replaced with a high-pitched, yet smooth and rich, voice that resembled...

He looked down to glare upon his own body. His torso, which was previously flat, sculpted, and rippled with muscles, was now adorned with two identical mounds of flesh. He lifted his arms to stare at them. The magenta markings that had graced his forearms had disappeared, leaving the creamy skin untarnished. His masculine hands had disappeared, substituted with a pair of slender, feminine hands with finely tapered fingers.

A sudden realization turned his blood cold... He had been turned into a woman.

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Well, that's the first chapter. I'm really curious to hear what you readers think about it. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Please take some time to drop me a few lines. See you in the next chapter!

-Chiaztolite-


	2. I Don't Need You To Save Me

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary of Previous Chapter: **Sesshoumaru offended Benten, the Goddess of Beauty, in the hot spring by calling her "an eyesore". Thus, she punished him and turned him into a woman.

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**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch02: I Don't Need You to Save Me**

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A sudden realization turned his blood cold... He had been turned into a woman.

Sesshoumaru, now in his feminine body, glared at the three approaching tiger demons with wrath in his eyes. He truly had neither time nor patience to deal with these idiots. He had to pursue the blasted goddess, Benten, and compel her to return his original body.

"I have no time to deal with scums like you..." He hissed with his transformed voice. "If you do not desire death, then be gone!"

The tiger demons looked at each other before bursting out in mocking laughter. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in growing rage at the sounds of their insolence. His fingers flexed; an old habit he had whenever he felt the itch to tear his opponent's throat.

"That's very cute." One of the tigers said, after their laughter had subsided. "You, a human girl, think you can defeat us, three demons from the great tiger clan?"

As he straightened his spine, Sesshoumaru glared at them menacingly. He contemplated if he should slaughter them all with his sword, Tokijin, but eventually decided that his talons would be more than sufficient to rid these sleazy low-class demons.

He charged forward, swinging his arm to shred his opponents into pieces with his claws. Yet, as soon as he moved, he felt something terribly wrong. He used to be able to attack with such grace and ease; striking a blow to his foe was as easy as breathing to him. And now, every single movement felt heavy, clumsy, and weak like...

... human.

His eyes widened when he realized not only that Benten had turned him into the opposite gender, she had also taken away all of his yokai power. The realization set his fury ablaze. How dare that...

A hand strongly gripped his wrist, ending his musings. His forehead wrinkled in distaste as he felt the touch. He loathed the feel of this lesser being touching his skin. It certainly felt foreign to him, as he had never been so weak as to give his opponent a chance to lay hands on him. To think that he had been forced to stoop so low fuelled his anger even more.

One of the tiger demons pushed him until his back was slammed against the rough bark of a tree. The obnoxious scum held him there, twisting and pinning his right hand above his head. Sesshoumaru bared his teeth threateningly, but the tiger demon only bellowed in laughter.

"Give it a rest, little girl!" The male feline roared. "You won't be able to..."

But his arrogance was immediately silenced as he felt an unexpected sharp pain attacking his mid-section. Slowly, he lowered his gaze, only to find the gleaming blade of a sword piercing his stomach. Beads of blood gradually dyed his garb red. He raised his head to gaze into the eyes of the female before him. There was resolution in those amber eyes, a fierce killing intention that was so acute that it sent chills down his spine.

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on the hilt of Tokijin as he pushed the blade deeper into the tiger's stomach, earning a tortured moan from the insolent yokai. The sword felt oddly and uncomfortably heavier now that he was no longer what he used to be. But he felt a strange sense of comfort in knowing that despite his unexpected and most unwanted transformation, his skills with the blade had not left him. He churned his blade inside the tiger's gut once before yanking it out. With a guttural cry, the demon collapsed onto the ground.

The other two demons, who had been silent in awe as they witnessed the assault to their comrade, still could not utter a single word. They gaped at the girl before them, finding it hard to believe that a mere human could inflict such injury to their kind.

Sesshoumaru, with blood dripping off the tip of his sword and the first tiger yokai lay motionlessly behind him, glared at his remaining two opponents. They stared back at him, their reddened faces were smothered with awe and rage. It was not long until one of them let himself drowned in fury and blindly charged forward with a sword in hand. Sesshoumaru lunged forward, meeting the attack with his own sword, letting the two blades collided. Swiftly, as fast as his new human legs could carry him, he swivelled on his heels and detached Tokijin from the collision. He swung the sword and slashed his foe across the torso, aiming to dig deep enough to inflict fatal injury. Then he leaped away, putting some distance between him and the tiger demons.

He gritted his teeth in irritation when he saw his opponent did not collapse from the attack. There was not enough pressure applied on his blade; he had overestimated the power of his slender arms. He had injured his foe, surely, proven by the torn cloth and the blood that leaked out from the long gash across the demon's chest. But apparently, it was not sufficient to bring the scum down.

Once again, they took their stance and faced each other. They stood still only for a very brief moment before they lunged forward, launching another attack. But before they had a chance to clash their sword once more, a blur of red landed on the tight spot between them, interrupting their duel.

The uninvited creature clad in bright red robe rose to his feet, his right hand that gripped an enormous sword was casually arched over one shoulder.

"You guys know it's not nice to gang up on a girl, don't you?" He asked with a grin plastered on his face.

"Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru growled. His foul mood was made worse by the sudden appearance of his half brother.

The ears of the half-dog demon twitched at the sound of his name. A deep frown appeared on his forehead. How did this girl know his name? Without turning his body around, he glanced at the girl behind him from the corner of his eye.

"Girl, do I know you?" He asked. His forehead frowned as he searched his memory. He turned his head further to get a closer look at the mysterious girl. His eyes captured the sight of her silver hair, a glimpse of her fiery amber eyes, that familiar-looking white kimono with red honeycomb design, and that armour...

Especially that armour.

Inuyasha could no longer contain his confusion. He turned around, meeting the girl's angered gaze. His eyes widened immediately. He opened his mouth but for a moment, he was at lost for words.

"You... are..." He stuttered.

**To Be Continued**

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Thanks to those who have reviewed. I appreciate your input. It helps me a lot when I'm developing this story. Sorry for the long wait. It's harder than I thought to work on two different stories at the same time. But I'll work hard to update more often. Again, reviews are greatly appreciated. Please drop me a few lines if you can.

-Chiaztolite-


	3. I Am Indeed Your Half Brother

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary of Previous Chapter: **After he was turned into a human girl, Sesshoumaru had to fight off three tiger demons who meant him harm. He discovered that although he had been transformed into human, he was still able to fight, to some extent. Inuyasha showed up unexpectedly, and uninvited, to "save" him from the tigers.

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**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch03: I Am Indeed Your Half-Brother**

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"You... are..." Inuyasha stuttered, his confused amber orbs bore into the girl's eyes that were strangely identical to his. His mouth was gaping wide and he was unable to finish his words. He could not fathom why this mysterious girl was wearing a set of kimono and armour that was identical to Sesshoumaru's. The attire was obviously too loose for her slender frame. She could barely hold that chest plate up, and the metal strap that was supposed to fit tightly across her shoulder slouched down to her elbow.

Sesshoumaru tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Inuyasha to say something. Anything. This idiotic half-breed had once again test his patience, and in the middle of battle too. In the middle of _his _battle, to make the matter even worse.

"Who are you, and how the heck did you manage to steal those clothes and armour from Sesshoumaru?" The previously tongue-tied hanyou finally blurted out, glaring at the girl with eyes filled with accusation.

Feeling a strong desire to throw his hands in the air due to mounting agitation, Sesshoumaru exhaled sharply. He might have been turned into a female, but it was no excuse to lose all sense of decorum. It was perhaps too much to ask of the mongrel to understand the sudden transformation he had gone through. After all, who would have thought that he, the almighty yokai lord of the western lands, could have been turned into a woman?

"Are your eyes just empty sockets, Inuyasha?" He coldly asked his half brother. "You cannot recognize your own brother?"

The red-clad hanyou was speechless. He could only gawk at the girl who claimed to be Sesshoumaru. After a long stretch of silence, he burst into laughter. Both of his hands were pressed against his abdomen as he strived to calm his outburst. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes; his hard laughter had caused his breathing to become laboured.

"Oh come on!" He panted between his laugher. "There's no way you're Sesshoumaru! I mean, you're..." He stopped to give the silent girl a meaningful look. He gestured at her body with his sword and with a light shrug, he proceeded, "You know..." Awkwardly, he waved his sword at the girl again, as if he could convey his meaning with a few of those uncomfortable gestures.

"You know," he repeated. A tinge of pink slowly coloured his cheeks as he realized that he had been staring at her for too long. Though she was fully dressed, she was not in an appropriate state since her wet garb clung to her body like a second skin, revealing feminine curves that no decent girl should show off in public. Yet, this girl did not seem to realize her own indecency. The young inu looked away; his cheeks were hot with blush.

"...a girl," with sulky and much lowered voice that was close to a whisper, he finally completed his words.

Sesshoumaru glared at his half-brother without words. He had not seen his own reflection after the goddess played the prank on him. Yet, he could conclude that he had indeed been completely transformed, especially after he saw the look of disbelief in Inuyasha's face.

"Inuyasha," he finally hissed between his clenched teeth. "Do you truly believe a mere girl has what it takes to _steal _from your half brother, a yokai lord?" Each of his words was spoken slowly, with painfully exerted patience.

"Well..." Inuyasha spoke after a few moments of hesitation. His white dog ears flinched, then crouched lower to press themselves against his skull. "To be honest... no." He finally admitted. Soon after, he swung his sword and pointed its tip at the girl's nose.

"But you're wrong if you think I'd believe such a ridiculous lie!" He warned her, earning a deep, exasperated sigh from the female. "There's NO way that you're my half-brother."

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru hissed again, his impatience rising. "It is quite clear that you refuse to believe me. Hence, I invite you to test me."

"_Test_ you?" Inuyasha repeated with one eyebrow raised in interest. "How?"

"Ask me something that only both of us know."

"... Alright," Inuyasha said after a brief moment of musings, but he had yet to lower his sword. With the tip of Tetsusaiga still pointed at the girl's nose, he narrowed his golden eyes and peered at her suspiciously.

"When did my brother and I first meet?" was his first question.

"On the eve of your tenth birthday," Sesshoumaru answered without hesitation, much to Inuyasha's surprise. "I had visited you at your mother's residence on a moonless night."

"What was I doing?" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed even further into a pair of golden slits.

"You were chasing a ball down a courtyard," Sesshoumaru calmly responded, and he could not resist the temptation to add, "Like an idiot."

"Heh..." Inuyasha snorted. "You don't look like Sesshoumaru but you certainly talk like him," He countered, a sour smirk appeared on his face. "Who else was there?"

"No one," Sesshoumaru answered the cunning question readily. "You were alone."

"Alright," Inuyasha said, his grin widened. "Last question..." His grin suddenly disappeared as he glared at the girl before him. "What was the first thing you ever said to me?"

Sesshoumaru returned his half-brother's glare without answering. During his silence, he allowed the memories of what happened so many years ago flooded his mind. Every single detail of the momentous event was remembered, deeply etched in his memory.

"You are nothing but a lowly human and I will never acknowledge you as my brother," He repeated the words he had said years ago. Just like that time, his tone bore no emotions.

"And then what happened?" asked Inuyasha after a few beats of silence.

"You asked me if I would kill you," Sesshoumaru answered, arching his elegantly shaped brows. "And I said... Eventually, but not until you are old enough to handle a sword and fight me for your life."

Inuyasha did not utter a word of response, but continued gazing into the girl's deep amber orbs. At last, as if to accept the trueness of her claim, he slowly lowered his arm that still tightly grasped his sword. Though the hanyou's face was still filled with confusion, there was some form of understanding in his eyes. The girl spoke the truth.

"How on earth...?" He finally voiced the question that filled his mind. But a sudden surge of demonic energy grabbed his attention, stopping his query mid-sentence. Swiftly, he turned around, only to find one of the remaining tiger yokai lashing towards him with a long, sharp edged sword in hand. Instinctively, the red-clothed hanyou swerved around to dodge the attack.

"You've been ignoring me long enough, DOG!" the tiger shouted as he raised his sword high above his head.

Snorting with mockery, Inuyasha tightened his grip on Tetsusaiga and pounded the base of its hilt against the tiger's nose, earning a painful yelp from the feline demon. The force from the blow sent the tiger flying a few feet backwards, causing his back to crash into the chest of his sole companion who was left standing. Both collapsed to the ground, joining their comrade whom Sesshoumaru defeated in one on one battle.

"Get the heck out of here!" The hanyou growled, baring his fangs at all three pesky demons. They cursed him as they struggled to their feet and did not limp away before they threatened him with revenge. But the affront did not even reach the hanyou's ears, as he was much too enraptured by the unexpected transformation of his half-brother. Before the tiger demons even disappeared from sight, he had focused his attention on the female form in front of him.

"So," he muttered, confusion and awe swirled inside him, rendering him almost speechless. The girl, or _Sesshoumaru_ to be exact, still stood motionlessly across him, staring at him with undecipherable expression on her face. The mood was beyond awkward, and more strange than anything the considerably younger half-yokai had ever experienced. He cleared his throat, but before he had the opportunity to speak, the sound of a girl's voice stopped him,

"Inuyasha!" the girl exclaimed.

Both the half-breed and the former full-blooded demon turned around. A young girl, riding a large yellow fire cat and clad in clothing that revealed too much of her legs, landed close by. A similarly-aged girl in black skin-tight clothing and a male monk in dark indigo robe sat behind, sharing her ride. They dismounted the beast and hurriedly approached their comrade.

"Inuyasha," Kagome called his name again. "Did you find those demons?"

"You just ran without warning..." Sango sighed. "What was it that you sensed?"

They looked around, searching for the creatures that had snatched their comrade's attention and caused him to take a detour. Their gazes froze when they saw the girl wearing clothes and armour that looked awfully similar to Sesshoumaru's. Even the thick white pelt that was a part of his attire also perched on her shoulder. They stared at her with wonder.

"What..."

"Who..."

"How..."

The three spoke almost at the same time, jumbling different words but the core to their questions was all but same: What on earth happened, who this girl was, and how the heck did she manage to get Sesshoumaru's stuff?

"Yeah," Inuyasha's voice was strangely sombre. "I have no idea what exactly happened. But this girl is indeed... Sesshoumaru."

For a moment that stretched for quite some time, none of the new arrivals said a thing, as if they could not comprehend a single word of what Inuyasha just said. They just continued staring openly at the girl who unflinchingly returned their gaze.

"You're kidding," Kagome finally opened her mouth and spoke. Her voice was filled with disbelief.

"Yeah, I wish I was," Inuyasha snorted. A sour, uncertain grin was plastered on his face. "I don't even know how to deal with Sesshoumaru as a guy and now he's turned into a girl... She's bound to be a real bitch."

**To Be Continued**

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Sorry it took so long to update! I had a few things that kept me busy but I'm still glad I managed to get this chapter out today. I've started on the next chapter so hopefully the next instalment won't take too long. Thank you for all the reviews... Your inputs mean a lot to me and I hope you will continue dropping your comments and suggestions. Please take a moment to drop me a few lines. Thanks!

-Chiaztolite-


	4. Pause

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary of Previous Chapter: **Sesshoumaru managed to convince Inuyasha that he was indeed his half-brother. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango arrived at the scene and found it difficult to believe that Sesshoumaru was the girl standing before them.

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**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch04: Pause**

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A sudden gush of wind startled the small group gathering in the woods. Another beast, this time it was a two-headed dragon with a long lizard-like tail, landed among them. Two creatures rode its back: a green imp that resembled a toad and a young human girl of seven or eight years old. The green imp looked straight at Inuyasha with his pair of wide yellow eyes. Waving an intriguing two-headed wooden staff in his hand, he yelled out,

"Inuyasha! Have you seen my Lord Sesshoumaru?"

It was quite obvious that the creature, Jaken, did not notice the presence of the girl wearing his lord's clothing, but Rin was different. The sharp-witted child immediately saw the disturbing likeness between the girl and her master. Tugging on the older retainer's sleeve, she tried to gain his attention.

"Jaken-sama," she called without taking her eyes off the girl. "Jaken-sama!" She called again when the toad yokai continued to ignore her, this time a little more urgently.

"Quiet, Rin! Can't you see I'm busy here?" Jaken scolded as he glanced over his shoulder with blatant annoyance. He yanked his sleeve out of the girl's grip.

Rin ignored his complaint and raised her hand to point at the object of her attention. Although annoyed at her persistence, Jaken followed her gaze and finally saw the girl wearing his Lord Sesshoumaru's attire. His jaw dropped immediately at the sight of her. At the first glance, he could not believe his eyes. But when he saw the two legendary swords, Tokijin and Tenseiga, secured to the girl's waist, his dim-witted mind slowly came to a realization. The possession of those swords alone convinced the faithful retainer that the girl was indeed Sesshoumaru-sama. His master would not surrender them to anyone, not in a million years. And the thought of someone managed to successfully _steal_ those weapons... was just beyond laughable.

The small green yokai hopped off Ah-Un's back and scurried over, stopping only when he was right in front of the girl in question.

"Sesshoumaru-sama...?" Jaken quietly asked, his eyes slowly widening as he observed her. The silver hair, the golden eyes... although her face was free of markings, its features were clearly the feminine version of his lord's.

"Is that really you...?" The toad choked, then gulping a few times. But the mysterious girl said nothing and continued staring down at the green imp. That look too, so cold and ruthless, was so much like his master's. Suddenly, two large beads of tears rolled down Jaken's cheeks. Then another, and another, until two rivers of tears streamed down his face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama..." he started to sob, then paused to wipe away his tears with the sleeve of his garb. "How did this calamity happen?" He continued his wailing. "Who turned you into this..."

"Be quiet, Jaken," Sesshoumaru commanded, ending his ward's lamentation. If there was impatience within him, he concealed it well.

The former male yokai was not at all concerned with Jaken's reaction, despite the toad's obvious display of despair for his unexpected transformation. He was much more interested in how Rin perceive this immense change. He looked at her, at his young ward who was staring up to him with wide eyes full of wonder and bewilderment. As he observed her, there was neither fear nor dismay in those round eyes, but sparks of curiosity and... would he say, awe? He watched the young girl took one small step towards him. Then another, and another, until she stood right before him, less than an arm's reach away. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak,

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she paused, but her eyes never left her master's transformed figure. "You're so...," she paused again and her face suddenly broke into a big grin. "...pretty!" She exclaimed, her innocence never failed to enliven even the most awkward situation. Already, she felt at ease with this woman whom in her eyes was not so different from her master.

"Have you been a good girl, Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked as he raised one hand and rather awkwardly, placed it on her shoulder.

The girl nodded enthusiastically, looking extremely pleased with herself. But before she could say more, she was interrupted by Inuyasha who decided to step in to clear out the queries that filled his mind.

"Oy, Sesshoumaru," the hanyou's nonchalant call prompted the former yokai to turned to regard him. "We need to talk," he said sombrely.

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"OK," Kagome sighed as she flexed her ten fingers and lifting her hands up as if with the simple gesture, she would manage to calm her nerves. "How are we going to do this...," she muttered under her breath. She sighed again and grabbed the red obi sash. As she felt the sash with her fingers, she realized how old the fabric was. The texture of the cotton was completely smooth because of wear and the fabric had thinned considerably from years of washing.

She threw Sesshoumaru, who sat quietly in the corner of the room, a quick glance. Needless to say, she was relieved that Sango was there with her, inside the old priestess Kaede's small hut. The two girls were trusted with the task to help the yokai lord changed into a set of clothes that was more appropriate for his new form. But Kagome could not even begin to think where they should start.

"Umm, Sesshoumaru," she called, trying to rid the nervousness off her voice. "I think you should, umm... undress..." She immediately stopped when she saw the yokai giving him a look, his signature cold look. She could feel the hot blush of embarrassment coloured her cheeks and all of a sudden, she felt bashful. And perhaps a little too bold. She had certainly never thought she would ask the Lord of the Western Lands to take off his clothes. Ever.

Quickly, to gather her composure, she added, "Before those wet clothes give you cold."

The yokai lord continued to stare at her with undecipherable look in his eyes. Kagome was growing more and more uncomfortable under the stare until Sango, who returned from her search for a decent enough change of clothes, caused him to avert his gaze.

"I think this should be suitable," Sango said, sliding a neatly folded yukata across the floor towards the male. "You are quite tall, so I hope this one would fit you," she added.

Sesshoumaru said nothing but his fingers had started to perform the task of undressing himself. He unfastened and shook off his armour with practiced ease. One by one, the layers of fabric that formed his attire were peeled off of his body until he sat exposed from the waist up.

"Right," Kagome muttered as she inched closer to bring him the red sash. Just when they were about to put the yukata on, the sliding screen door flung open, revealing Inuyasha who stood at the threshold.

"Sesshoumaru," the hanyou yelled out before he even had the chance to see anything inside the hut. "I need to ask..." His speech faltered as he slowly came to realize what was going on behind those screens prior to his interruption. He raised one eyebrow but did not avert his gaze. Kagome and Sango could only stare at him with mouth opened wide, while Sesshoumaru looked at him with his usual mild annoyance.

"Nice rack," Inuyasha commented with a slight grin.

Kagome rose to her feet and quickly strode towards the open door. With all her might she pushed the hanyou off balance so that he fell backwards and landed on the hard ground.

"Inuyasha," Kagome glowered at him and before he had a chance to defend himself, she said that one word she knew would render him helpless. "Sit."

In an instant, a loud thump was heard and Inuyasha had his head buried in the ground. Kagome slammed the door behind her closed and joined the sprawled, defeated hanyou on the ground. Her forehead was crumpled in anger as she looked down at him.

"What do you think you were doing, Inuyasha, barging in like that?" She asked him, the frown was prominent on her face.

"Oh, come on!" The hanyou shouted as he lifted himself off the ground. "It's Sesshoumaru! He's a guy! He needs no..."

"Right now, Sesshoumaru is a girl," Kagome said, looking more stubborn than ever. "And we should treat him like a girl. He deserves privacy and respect just like any other girls. He doesn't need a _pervert_ like you to walk in on him changing."

"What?" Inuyasha yelled out, the colour of his face turned several degrees closer to the colour of his clothing. "I am _not_ a pervert! It was not like I was trying to..."

Kagome, not interested in listening to his excuses, went back into the priestess' hut, leaving her hanyou companion huffing and puffing outside. Inuyasha, still grumbling under his breath, sat cross-legged on the ground with his white dog-ears lowered and pressed against his scalp.

"That was not very gentlemanly, Inuyasha," Miroku, who had been witnessing the entire commotion, commented as he shook his head slowly, trying to keep himself from laughing.

"Yeah Inuyasha," Shippou joined in, his arms were folded against his chest. "You were being a pervert."

"Shut up, you two!" The enraged hanyou yelled. "You knew it wasn't my intention to peek!" Then he added with a low, irritated voice, "Why would I want to see him naked anyway?"

Still sitting on the ground, the hanyou rubbed his face hard, thinking about what his half-brother's explanation before they left the forest where it all began. Chasing the rat yokai... The hot spring... Benten, the goddess of beauty... and finally, the curse that turned his brother, the yokai lord of the western lands, into what he was now. A human. A woman.

It was certainly difficult to digest, and to believe. It was most unexpected turn of events that had transformed the arguably most powerful yokai in the region into human. They had not have the chance to discuss what steps they would take next, but the discussion would certainly be quite interesting.

A sudden change in the air disrupted the hanyou's musings, causing him to sit up in alarm. He looked around, his senses heightened as he concentrated to discover the source of the demonic aura he had just detected. It was an enormous aura, he could sense it. But the source was not just one creature, but multiple, big numbers of yokai who had gathered together to join their forces.

And they were coming.

**To Be Continued**

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I'm glad I managed to post a new chapter today. Hope you all enjoy it. Thank you so much for those who had reviewed. As usual, your comments and input are greatly appreciated. I look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter. Please take some time and drop me a few lines if you can.

-Chiaztolite-


	5. Decisions

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary of Previous Chapter: **Jaken and Rin finally accepted that their lord Sesshoumaru had been turned into a girl. Inuyasha and his companions took Sesshoumaru to Kaede's hut to discuss the situation. But before they had a chance to regroup, they were attacked.

**

* * *

**

**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch05: Decisions**

* * *

By late that afternoon, words had miraculously spread amongst the demons of the western lands that Sesshoumaru, the demon lord of the region, had somehow been transformed into human and lost all of his demonic power. It was a mystery as to who had spread the news, but hundreds of yokai made the trip to the little village where the said daiyokai had been taken into custody, each and every one of them shamelessly trying to take advantage of the situation. Their foul intention was clear as day: to destroy Sesshoumaru and snatch the "Lord of the Western Lands" title for themselves.

Inuyasha and his companions agreed that the old priestess Kaede's hut would be a suitable haven for the transformed yokai lord, at least for the time being. It was not without great difficulties that they managed to keep him there, accompanied by Jaken and Rin. Kagome also remained with them since, as Inuyasha had put it so openly, "someone needed to force him to stay put and not do anything stupid". The rest of the group remained outside, guarding the hut and defending it from the massive amount of demons that aimed to get their hands on the yokai lord.

Kagome stared at the source of the commotion: the said yokai lord who was sitting quietly in the corner with his back facing the door, undoubtedly dissatisfied with his current state. She stared at his silent form, at his awkward and uncomfortable sitting position. The former yokai had tried sitting down with his legs crossed, then with his knees pressed against the floor and legs parted; both were common for men, but his new garb was far too constricting for those comfortable poses. At the end, he had to settle with the traditional sitting position for women: on his knees, thighs pressed together and his feet tucked neatly underneath his buttocks.

Quietly, Kagome approached him and kneeled down not far behind him. Though he showed no sign of acknowledgement, she was certain that even his _human_ intuition was sharp enough to notice her presence.

"Sesshoumaru," she called him softly. She saw his silver head shifted slightly at the sound of her voice. "Inuyasha and I..." she paused in hesitation, then cleared her throat before she continued, "... we've talked. We think it's best that we move you to somewhere safer."

Kagome flinched at the sound of his chuckle, so cold and frosty like icicles.

"Do you truly believe this Sesshoumaru would run away from something like this?" He coldly asked her, turning his head just enough to reveal his profile. "Cease your futile effort, _human_," the chill in his voice sent shivers down her spine. "If only you, that insufferable mutt, and your so-called comrades had not insisted that I remain here, I would have taken care of those intruders myself," he continued.

Kagome was about to retaliate, yet the sounds of the screen doors sliding open caused them both to turn and looked at the entrance. Inuyasha stood there. He entered the hut and hastily closed the door behind him, the loud noise of fighting accompanied his entrance. His eyebrows arched as he regarded his half brother, dressed in appropriate female clothing of white kimono with red flower designs and a matching red obi sash.

"You would do no such thing," Inuyasha firmly said. His keen hearing had surely captured the conversation that took place within the hut.

"But at the same time, it is not safe for you to stay," he continued. "Your presence here has attracted so many demons who want to challenge you for your title." He paused to gesture outside the hut, where Miroku and Sango were still fighting to keep the intruders at bay. "And more will come," he warned. "You will endanger not only your own safety, but also those of the villagers who live nearby."

"It was not my intention to come here in the first place," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. "Thus it is not in my plans to stay." He started to rise to his feet, though his movement was slightly constricted because of the garb he was not accustomed to. "It will be my pleasure to take my wards and leave. Now."

"Don't be stupid, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled, feeling the mounting frustration towards the proud yokai lord and his stubbornness.

"Stupid?" Sesshoumaru repeated as he started to make his way to the door. "I need to search for that blasted, shameless goddess, Benten," he said. "I need to make her turn me back to how I was." By the time he finished his words, he nearly reached the entrance to the hut.

"Hang on," Inuyasha almost barked as he stood up in front of the door, blocking Sesshoumaru's way out of the hut. He glared at his older brother who returned the fervent gaze nonchalantly.

"You're telling me you're just going to go out there?" the hanyou hissed. "Even you must know the recklessness in what you were about to do! How do you expect to defend yourself against those who aim to hunt you down and kill you? How will you survive in that form, in that body you are not accustomed to, without your yokai power?"

"My sword skills are still intact," Sesshoumaru answered calmly, his fingers were already on Tokijin.

"You are now merely one human against countless of demons," Inuyasha countered. "Your sword skills will not save you."

"I can prove it by slaying you. Right here, right now," Sesshoumaru retaliated, his tone dangerous. He was ready to draw his sword and make the first cut.

"What about your wards? How would you protect them?" Inuyasha shouted fervently. Then, his loud outburst was suddenly reduced to something that resembled a low whisper. "What about Rin?"

Immediately, the subject of Rin's safety rendered the eloquent yokai lord speechless. The hanyou threw a secretive glance towards the little girl, who was sitting not far from them, listening to the entire conversation even though her simple mind was still too young to understand the full extent of the situation. Inuyasha did not even need to elaborate. Sesshoumaru had caught the quick glance and understood completely what his younger brother tried to convey. The longer he remained there, the more enemies would come to seek him, resulting in bigger chance that Rin would be dragged into battle. His continuous presence there would only put her in greater and greater danger.

'_Unbelievable,'_ Sesshoumaru hissed inwardly as he brushed his hair away from his face in irritation. Since the day Rin came under his wing, he had always been the protector of his young ward and now he was the biggest threat to her safety, to her well-being? For the hundredth time, he cursed the goddess who had turned his life upside-down.

Kagome witnessed the two siblings stood face to face without words. Finally, after a long stretch of silence, the elder brother took his hand off his sword's hilt. She held back her desire to heave a deep sigh of relief. Sesshoumaru, despite his transformation, had not lost his logic after all. The release of Tokijin was the first indication that he had begin to relent.

"What do you propose then, Inuyasha?" he asked with a low, calm voice.

Inuyasha sighed deeply as he lowered himself back to the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of the sliding door. His forehead was stitched together to form a frown, as if he was lost in a hard, deep thought. He threw Kagome, who gave him a slight nod, a quick glance before he set his gaze on his half brother.

"Kagome might have told you that…" he started slowly. "...we've talked. We think the best solution is to send you away from here, away from these lands."

"Away from the western lands?" Sesshoumaru asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion into a pair of golden slits. "Where is this faraway land you speak of?"

Again, Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other and she cleared her throat to fill the silence.

"Well… technically, it is here," she explained. "And yet, it is not."

Sesshoumaru stared at her without words, as if she had said something so utterly stupid that he should not even dignify her with a response. Moments later, he spoke coldly,

"Inuyasha, what kind of nonsense is your woman sprouting?"

"Look, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, her tone of voice was fringed with impatience. "It doesn't matter where we take you. The most important thing is that you'll be safer there. And you won't be putting anyone else's safety in jeopardy, including Rin's."

"But before I can agree to any of your suggestions, I need to know where you plan on taking me." Sesshoumaru countered, looking at the girl and the hanyou with one elegant eyebrow arched.

Once again, Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances in silence. Then finally, she told him,

"We're taking you to the other end of the bone-eater's well."

**To Be Continued**

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Another update! I thank my writing muse for being kind to me these days. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I almost finished the following chapter, so I hope my next instalment will be posted sooner than later. Thank you to those who reviewed. I really appreciate your support. Please take your time and drop me a few lines if you have a chance.

-Chiaztolite-


	6. Sunset

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary of Previous Chapter: **The demons of the western lands, after learning that Sesshoumaru had lost his demonic power, took advantage of the situation and decided to attack. Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku were hard at work protecting the hut and the village. The yokai lord was adamant to stay, fight, and search for Benten, the goddess who had cursed him. Inuyasha and Kagome reminded him of Rin's safety and insisted that he should flee.

* * *

**The Story of Higurashi Seirin**

**Ch06: Sunset**

**

* * *

**

"We're taking you to the other end of Bone-Eater's well," Kagome finally said.

The small hut was filled with tense, heavy silence that seemed to stretch on forever as the yokai lord took his time to let the girl's proposal sink in.

"And… what kind of place is this 'other end of the Bone-Eater's well'?" Sesshoumaru asked, raising his eyebrows in what could only be described as suspicion.

"It's…" Kagome paused to think for a moment, then she chuckled nervously and said, "I think it's best to leave it as a surprise."

"I do not like surprises," the yokai lord replied coldly, silencing her quiet laughter.

"Just relax, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha chimed in, his tone was laden with annoyance at his half-brother's stubbornness. "Neither of us is trying to harm you. This is not a trap!"

"And obviously," Sesshoumaru spoke again, enunciating his words slowly. "You are confident that the well will let me pass through to the other side?" he asked, somewhat sceptically. And if there really was doubt in his voice, Kagome chose to ignore it.

"Inuyasha has been able to go through the well several times now," Kagome replied. "Since you possess yokai blood just like he does, we think the well will not refuse you."

"Is that so?" The cynical tone was still present in the former yokai's voice. He started to pace around the room, seemingly lost in his own musings. Then he halted his steps and turned to face Inuyasha and Kagome who were anxious to hear his thoughts.

"I need to find Benten," once more he insisted, although as Kagome and Inuyasha noticed, the resolution in his voice had somewhat lessened.

"Don't forget your priorities," the girl warned, causing Sesshoumaru to shoot her a deathly look for her courage to reprimand him, a yokai lord. "Finding Benten can wait," she continued. "We will help you search for her and find out how you can return to your normal self. But for now, your safety, as well as your dependant's, is the most urgent matter."

Sesshoumaru turned around so that only his back faced the two creatures who urged him to flee. His circumstances were difficult, he must admit, and one he had never expected to encounter. He strived to keep his calm and composure, despite the mounting discontent. He was a proud yokai and thus, running away from a dire situation would never be his first choice. But he was never stupid, or unrealistic in his actions and expectations. The disadvantages on his part were too great that his better judgement, which had served him right throughout his battle-filled life, prodded him to accept the proposal. After a few more moments of silence, he heaved a silent sigh and asked,

"When do we leave?"

"We will wait until we're no longer surrounded," Inuyasha told him. "Then we'll make our way to Bone-Eater's well."

* * *

It was almost sunset when Inuyasha deemed it safe to take Sesshoumaru to the well. Miroku and Sango had finished off the last of the demons, and no one could tell when the next wave of attack would arrive. Taking advantage of the calm before the storm, they quickly left the old priestess' home and head to the well.

"How are you going to hide his yokai appearance from the humans? Wouldn't they get suspicious of his silver hair and golden eyes?" asked Inuyasha when they were on their way. They kept the procession as small as possible. Only Kagome and himself, along with Jaken, Rin, and naturally Sesshoumaru, were there. The rest of their usual entourage had decided to stay behind to guard the priestess' hut.

Momentarily, Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru's silver head in front of her before she replied.

"No," she said confidently. "They're just going to think that she's an anime-loving delinquent teenage girl who's into cosplay."

Inuyasha's face crumpled in a confused frown upon hearing her answer. Anime? Cosplay? What are those?

"What are you talking about?" He asked her, but the miko merely laugh in response.

"I'll explain to you later, we don't have time for that now," she said as she saw the bone-eater's well coming to their view. "But trust me, he'll be fine." She paused to wave her hand in a relaxed gesture. "Lots of people paint their hair blue and pink and other colours."

"Paint their hair blue and pink?" Inuyasha repeated, his nose wrinkled in distaste. "The more I hear things about where you come from, the more I think it's a freaky place." His comment prompted Kagome to burst out in laughter and slap his shoulder playfully.

The procession came to an end when they reached the mysterious well. Sensing that a time to bid farewell had arrived, Jaken lowered his head and began to quietly sob. Sesshoumaru, despite the loss of his finely tuned yokai ears, could still hear the faint weep. He did not turn to regard his grieving retainer, but instead took one step towards the well.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru called, then slowly turned around.

The faithful servant, in an attempt to hide the fact that he was crying, quickly wiped tears from his cheeks before he approached his master. Sesshoumaru removed the two legendary swords from his waist and handed them over. Jaken gawked at him with an expression of shock in his face.

"But... but, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the green imp stammered with disbelief. He made no move to accept those swords. "You need these swords now, more than ever..."

"Take Tenseiga and Tokijin," Sesshoumaru commanded, holding out the two blades. "Deliver them to their safe hiding place. I shall be reunited with my weapons when I regain my true form."

With more tears flowing down his cheeks, Jaken solemnly accepted those swords with both hands. He cradled his master's weapons close to his chest and bowed his head, sobbing as teardrops dripped and wetted his sleeves.

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on Jaken for a while longer before he shifted his attention to Rin. The young girl had been standing there, staring up at him with bright, curious eyes. It stunned him when she suddenly lifted her hand to tug on his red and white kimono.

"When will you return, Sesshoumaru-sama?" his youngest ward asked. Such a good question, and one that not even him knew the answer to.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru called her with a solemn voice as he stared into her big, brown eyes. "You, Jaken, and Ah-Un will stay with Inuyasha and his companions in this village until I return," he told her, satisfied to see that she listened with full concentration, absorbing his every word.

"Listen to your elders," he said as he placed one hand on her shoulder. "And behave yourself."

As soon as the last word was spoken, he turned around and approached the Bone-Eater's well where Kagome stood waiting. Already, she was sitting on the rim of the well, preparing herself to jump into the darkness of the tunnel. Turning around when she heard his footsteps, she stared at the yokai lord who appeared splendidly calm even under the difficult circumstances. He returned her gaze and for a brief moment, their eyes locked.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

He did not open his mouth, but nodded firmly to answer.

"Let's get this started then," she said. After looking back and cheerfully waved at Inuyasha, Rin, and Jaken who were watching, she jumped into the well without any hesitation.

As Sesshoumaru perched on the rim of the well, he stared into the black hole beneath him, at the mysterious Bone-Eater's well that was said to be the grave of countless demons and monsters. His eyes narrowed slightly when he felt the waft of cool, light breeze from beneath, from the other end of the well. He closed his eyes, feeling the strange wind, thinking how different he would perceive things had his yokai senses still remained with him. He reopened his eyes, staring back into the pitch black hole, digging deeper to shed layers of dull senses, trying to ascertain his emotion at that moment.

Was it fear he felt? No. He might have lost his body, his demonic power, but not his nerve. Or perhaps it was anxiety, stemmed from his impatience to return to his original body, to re-harness his power.

"Oy, Sesshoumaru!" his half brother's call caused him to return from his thoughts. He blinked a few times before he glanced over his shoulder to look at the red-clothed hanyou.

"I'll search for Benten," Inuyasha told him. "I'll find out what we can do to get you back to your original body, I promise you that," the mutt said as their two gazes collided. "In the mean time… just stay put in Kagome's world and keep yourself out of trouble!"

Sesshoumaru perched there, staring back at Inuyasha over his shoulder, taking in the earnestness in those golden orbs. He remained sitting for a few moments longer, his expression unreadable, looking at his half brother, at his wards. But before anyone could decipher the look on his face, he hopped into the well to follow Kagome, and disappeared.

* * *

"Mind your step," Kagome warned as she hopped off the lip of the well, turning her head around slightly to glance at Sesshoumaru. "This place is full of junk," she said, scanning the dark storage house and gave out an uncomfortable chuckle. She watched the yokai lord climbed up the well with such grace and ease, as if the kimono he sported did not pose any restrictions to his movements whatsoever. He seemed to have quickly accustomed to this new garb.

Soon enough he was on his feet, standing straight and tall inside the small junk house that seemed to shrink in size because of his presence. With his expressionless amber eyes, he scanned his surroundings thoroughly, taking in every bit of details that the place could provide him. Kagome cleared her throat awkwardly, gaining his attention. Now he shifted those piercing golden eyes and rested them on her, making her feel uncomfortably self-conscious. It was the first time she was alone with him, and in such a close proximity. She cursed herself inwardly, knowing she should have let Inuyasha tagged along, like he insisted on doing. But she made up her mind not to bring two bickering dog-demon brothers to her home. She was not confident that her poor mother, or their small house, could withstand the damage.

"This way," she said, gesturing towards the double door that would lead them out to the courtyard of her shrine-home. But before they had a chance to climb up the steps towards the entrance, the doors creaked open, letting orange rays of sunset flooded the dim storage house.

Suddenly, a woman's voice was heard.

"Kagome? Is that you?"

The doors opened further to reveal the figure of the owner of the voice. Lights flooded into the room from beyond her back, causing her face to drown in the shadows. Kagome stopped dead on her track at the appearance of her mother; she was not at all ready to explain who Sesshoumaru was.

"Welcome home, dear," Mrs. Higurashi said, smiling as she rested her eyes on her daughter. Then, she noticed that the two of them were not alone. Another girl stood motionlessly by the well although she could not ascertain who this stranger was. The girl's figure was completely in the darkness.

"Who's your friend?" the elder woman asked. A friendly smile already graced her kind face, ready to greet the unknown guest.

"Errr..." Kagome could only hum nervously. Her eyes darted back and forth between her mother and Sesshoumaru, her mind working hard to weave a scheme. She quenched the urge to glower at Sesshoumaru who merely stared emptily at her, observing her obvious struggle. Finally, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward, taking him out of the shadows that had concealed him.

"Mom," Kagome looked at her mother as she forced a confident, cheerful smile. "This is Inuyasha's older... umm... sister. She is staying with us for a few days to... umm... observe our world and... study..."

Kagome's voice trailed off until it completely disappeared, mostly because she realized her mother was not even listening. Her mother was not even looking at her! She followed Mrs. Higurashi's gaze, and found that her mother was staring intently at Sesshoumaru. But Kagome must admit; Sesshoumaru was indeed a rare sight and it was understandable that her mother was quite entranced by him, or rather by _her_.

Even as a girl, he had a regal air about him; a tall, slender girl clad in kimono that was in fact nothing more than humble pieces of cloths sewn together, but appeared amazingly expensive on his female body. His silver mane cascaded down to his knees, each strand was straight and silky. The sharp, penetrating gaze of his vigilant amber eyes remained with him. Kagome doubted anything could ever take that away, no matter what his form was.

"I did not know Inuyasha has an older sister," Mrs. Higurashi spoke all of a sudden, causing her daughter to jolt with surprise. "He never really talked about her, did he?" She paused to look at Kagome and chuckled softly. Then she returned her gaze to Sesshoumaru, regarding him with a warm, welcoming expression on her face. "What is your name, dear?" She asked kindly.

Silence greeted her question.

"Name." Sesshoumaru eventually repeated with his usual deadpan tone. He returned the woman's gaze with a straight face.

"Yes, dear," Mrs. Higurashi responded patiently, as if he was a child who just started learning to speak. "What should we call you?" She asked again.

"His... errr...umm, her name is..." Kagome stammered, her mind scrambling to find a female name that he could use as an alias. "Her name is Sessh... umm... Sess... Seii..." She threw Sesshoumaru a panicked glance. There were millions of girl names in the world and she could not even think of one. Unbelievable.

"Seirin," Sesshoumaru's calm, convincing voice ended her struggle. "My name is Seirin."

Kagome stared at the former yokai lord in disbelief, her jaw almost dropped with surprise at his contribution. _Seirin?_ She screamed the name inwardly. _How did he choose the name 'Seirin'?_

"What a beautiful name! It suits you," Mrs. Higurashi praised, meeting her palms together in a gesture of admiration. "And your surname, dear?"

There was a silence when the question was left unanswered, until Sesshoumaru furrowed his brows and opened his mouth,

"Surname?" he repeated, his frown deepened. "We do not have such a thing."

"Oh my..." Mrs. Higurashi gasped as she touched her fingers to her lips, looking genuinely grief stricken. She looked at Kagome.

"She _should_ have a surname," the lady told her daughter. "People will think it strange if she doesn't. What should it be...?"

Kagome stared at her mother, who had paused to think hard for a solution, incredulously. Her amazement multiplied when Mrs. Higurashi suddenly exclaimed with gleeful voice,

"I know!" She seemed satisfied with herself already. "While you stay here with us, let's pretend that you are a distant cousin visiting from... say, Hokkaido. And you can use our surname. Higurashi."

"Mom," Kagome called with an uncomfortable chuckle. "I don't think Seirin would be comfortable with using our surname... Besides, I don't think such... formality is necessary..."

"Just as well." Sesshoumaru's sudden statement stunned her. She gaped at the strange silver-maned girl who returned her stare nonchalantly. She did not expect Sesshoumaru to be so agreeable. She did not even know this cold, incredulously intimidating, utterly ruthless block of ice could stoop so low as to _agree_ with someone. The happy claps coming from her mother ended her pondering.

"Wonderful," Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed with joy. When she looked at the yokai lord in disguise, her face beamed with excitement.

"From now on," she said excitedly. "You will be known as... Higurashi Seirin."

**To Be Continued**


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